A down and dirty autofocus test with the a7 III, firmware v.3.0 (both camera and lens). The Samyang's a pretty chubby affair - it just barely clears the base plate on my Zhiyun Crane Plus - but is remarkably light for an 85mm f/1.4. When it comes to autofocus, the Samyang isn't a speed demon... Continue Reading →
Voigtlander Macro APO-Lanthar 65mm f/2 in HDR (must be viewed on HDR device)
It's mad just how clean HLG HDR videos uploaded to YouTube are when compared to standard dynamic range ones. And a by-product of the exceptional local contrast happens to be that your lenses will for the most part look much more detailed in 4K HDR than in ordinary 4K. So while the Voigtlander is crazy-good... Continue Reading →
Dust!
I talk about shooting 8-bit HLG HDR video with the a7 III, VESA’s meaningless HDR specs, my brand new gimbal, lenses I seldom shot with before and why I’m using them now, rec.709 and the film look, the best way to evaluate your lenses, the glaring absence of affordable HDR grading monitors and whether dust... Continue Reading →
Saigon in HLG HDR
More luscious HDR goodness, this time shot with the 16-35mm GM, 50mm f/1.4 Planar and 85mm f/1.8 lenses. Mostly architecture around Ho Chi Minh City from the French colonial era. Forget everything you heard about HLG being backward compatible: the clip must be viewed on an HDR display or it will look dreadful. https://youtu.be/3agRiX5kD5g "Ruby"... Continue Reading →
Cine2 My Favorite Photo Style
Sony a7 III, Sony Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4, ISO 640 1) No effects applied 2) Graded footage
How to Expose for Skin Tones HLG HDR
Experts recommend anywhere between 55-60 IRE for skin tones, but in flat lighting, it might be beneficial to go as high as 65-70 IRE to prevent the image from becoming dull and lifeless. Naturally, one must take care not to overexpose, or the image will appear washed out. https://youtu.be/BRiH_MHmoUU
How to Publish HLG HDR Projects to YouTube Using Compressor
Occasionally, YouTube doesn’t recognize the master files I create in Final Cut Pro as HLG HDR, so I’ve taken to uploading my HDR projects to YouTube through Compressor. 1) Send completed project to Compressor from Final Cut Pro. 2) Click on project. 3) Once project has finished loading, click on ‘add’ under settings in the... Continue Reading →
Sony, If You’re Listening…
In DPReview’s interview with Kenji Tanaka, VP and senior manager of Sony’s Business Unit 1, Digital Imaging Group, the executive candidly name-drops the now-legendary Blackmagic Pocket 4K (the ultimate expression of Grant Petty’s lifelong quest to bring filmmaking to the masses), which in itself is a bit extraordinary in a setting like this: and a... Continue Reading →
Just Go Out and Shoot!
In December of 2017, I purchased the Ninja Inferno to get 4K 60p out of my GH5 and to be able to use the recorder as an HDR grading monitor but things didn’t quite go as planned... https://youtu.be/G5TjHzGbVnw
Saigon to a Cuban Beat: HLG HDR Sample Footage
Sample footage, Sony a7 III HLG HDR. To be seen correctly, must be viewed on an HDR display. SDR (standard dynamic range) rec. 709 video contains at most around six or seven stops of dynamic range while HLG HDR video is capable of as many as 17.5 stops - though both the Sony and my... Continue Reading →
Bird Tuesday
Screen grabs from 4K video shot with the GH5 and the brilliant Veydra 85mm T2.2 Mini Prime (ETC mode enabled). In-camera sharpening dialed all the way down, no sharpening added in post.
How to Upload Sony HLG HDR to YouTube from Final Cut Pro X in 2 Minutes
Note: Apparently, FCPX update 10.4.6 was supposed to finally address the stability issue that has plagued Final Cut for so long, whereby sharing to YouTube from within the app would inevitably fail; nevertheless, as of this writing, I still suggest making a master file. Update: Occasionally, my master files weren't recognized as HLG HDR videos by YouTube... Continue Reading →
Why You Want the X-Rite Colorchecker
Comparing the results of white balancing with the X-Rite Colorchecker and a random piece of paper, you'll notice immediately that the clip white balanced with the random piece of paper is contaminated with a distinct yellowish cast - in the shadows, in the highlights, in the cigarette lighter, in the cologne and everywhere else for... Continue Reading →
DPReview Readers React to FE 135mm f/1.8 GM MTF Scores 😂
@Clayton1985 2013 - Sony doesn't have any lenses. 2016 - Sony doesn't have great lenses. 2017 - Sony doesn't have good quality control. 2019 - Sony is forcing me to change the definition of a great lens. 2020 - Lenses and quality control are overrated, it's really all about ergonomics and color science. @RubberDials It's... Continue Reading →
Workflow: Leeming LUT One – Sony HLG BT.2020 for Rec.709 in FCP X
Note: If you'd like to upload HLG HDR videos to YouTube, click here. 1) Import files. 2) Select clips in the timeline and in the inspector click on Color Space Override then select Rec.709 from the drop-down menu. 3) Select clips in the timeline and in the inspector, click on Camera LUT then select Leeming... Continue Reading →
That Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM Looking Tempting
Having second thoughts about the Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM... Photo courtesy of Rokoko.
RAW Video – The Next Battleground
A couple months ago, I wondered aloud whether Sony would respond to Nikon’s announcement that their Z cameras would be able to record RAW video with the Atomos Ninja V (ETA sometime in the fall, if I’m not mistaken). And now, with breathless reviews pouring in of Blackmagic’s implementation of BRAW in their $1,300 P4K... Continue Reading →
Reasons to Reconsider Purchasing the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM
Pretty much all of the reviewers invited to attend Sony's launch event in Brooklyn, New York were unanimous in declaring the 135mm f/1.8 GM the ideal portrait lens. I would argue that, far from being ideal, one should carefully examine their needs before even considering this lens. First, there's the weight factor - while Sony... Continue Reading →
The Daejeon Chronicles 